


After Betty

by TheonSugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Gen, aaron isn't in this but robert asks about him intensely, so that's why i tagged it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-04-16 23:53:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4644708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheonSugden/pseuds/TheonSugden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adam, Andy and Robert help Victoria move on after her good friend Betty leaves town.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After Betty

“You don’t have to hold my hand while I go through the house, Adam. I’m a big girl.”

“I know you’re a big girl.”

“You sayin’ I’m fat?”

Adam sighed, struggling to notice when Victoria’s scowl turned to a smile.

“You’re supposed to laugh, Adam. Remember when you used to laugh? When you made me laugh? That’s one of the reasons I put up with ya…”

Adam tried to plaster a smile on his face, but Victoria only frowned in return.

“If ya haveta force it, just don’t bother, alright?”

Adam grabbed her waist before she could storm out, kissing her forehead and watching her anger melt away.

“I’m only happy when I’m with you, Vic. Don’t deserve to be happy, but you make me forget all the stuff I’ve done.”

Victoria rolled her eyes.

“Just ‘cos I’m perfect doesn’t mean you have to be, Adam. You’re a good bloke. I know it, even if you don’t.”

Adam hoped she’d never have to find out just what type of bloke he really was.

“C’mon, sourpuss…need to find Betty’s bag, one she asked me to find for her.”

Adam started rummaging through the drawers, happy the conversation had ended.

“She didn’t even leave an address for ya to mail it to. Sure she wasn’t just havin’ a laugh?”

Victoria paused mid-hunt, as serious as Adam had ever seen her.

“I know when she’s joking, Adam. She said it was very important  _I_  find it.”

Adam trailed behind her as she made her way to a side cupboard.

“She always kept stuff in here when she didn’t want me to see it. Figured she cleaned it out, but maybe she forgot. She’s more forgetful lately.”

Adam watched her on her hands and knees, hair falling out of the bun and into her eyes as she searched.

“Care a lot about her,” he said, quietly, leaning against the wall.

“Course I do!” she squeaked, glaring back at him before she let her sorrow creep in. “She wasn’t like me nan - never tried to be - but she was like me best mate. After Amy and your Hannah left, she was all I had left…now she’s gone. Now it’s just me and you…”

She broke her search long enough to stare at Adam, tears in her eyes.

“…better treat me right.”

The waves of guilt that crashed into Adam went right to his knees, buckling them as he leaned onto the sofa arm nearest him for support.

“Vic…” he started, dreading what he knew he had to say, feeling it stick in his throat. “I…”

“Lummox,” Victoria teased good-naturedly as she walked over for a hug. A hug interrupted by a gawpy-mouth and a sharp point at the cushion near him. “It’s her bag! She left it under the sofa.”

Adam moved to pick it up for her, but she stopped him, sitting on the floor like Christmas morning.

“It’s Alan’s things. What Betty and Marlon didn’t…didn’t want I guess. She must have left this for me to find.”

Adam had barely ever known Alan Turner, who’d been a wise old soul of the village, always keeping a polite distance, always had a soft chuckle, always loved motorbikes. Adam only knew he used to run the Woolie, had made a lot of mistakes, and had messed-up kids. 

With the worn detective paperbacks and AC/DC CDs out of the way, Victoria’s hand clutched to a photo she’d taken with Alan and Betty.

“Oh God my hair is _so awful_ ,” she tried to laugh, the sound not quite coming out. “I-I think…I think one of the reasons she left is so I wouldn’t have to walk in one day and…and find her, like she found…”

She couldn’t keep talking through her tears, or the shakes. Adam did his best to make them his own, holding her close until their knees ached from the tired old rug. 

He wasn’t sure how long they sat there, hugging each other, his nose in her hair, but by the time they stood up at the noise from the front door, their legs were jelly.

Victoria wiped her eyes on his jumper before she opened the door to let Andy and Robert in.

“Thought we’d take ya to the pictures, but maybe it’s not such…” Andy said, looking confused at the state they were in.

“Has he done something to hurt you?” Robert said, accusingly. 

“No!” Victoria shouted. “Just back off, Robert. Why don’t you be of some use for once and help me clean the kitchen.”

“You don’t seem so concerned with hygiene at the pub…” he huffed, wincing at her sharp smack to his stomach before watching her walk away.

“So everything’s fine?” he asked again, more quietly this time. “With Vic…and Aaron?”

Adam scratched his head in puzzlement. 

“Vic’s gonna be fine. Aaron’s fine, whatever he has to do with this. Mum’s fine. Me gran’s fine. I’ve been better.”

Andy threw one arm around Adam’s shoulder, the other around Robert’s.

“We just don’t wanna see our little sister get hurt.”

Adam nodded, trying to be cool with it.

“I know how it works. I got a kid sister. I hurt her, you -” he stared at Robert - “kill me, right?”

Andy laughed, squeezing his shoulder a little too hard.

“Nah, mate. _I_  kill you.  _He_  covers it up.”

Adam never knew why Robert’s face went so pale at the end of that joke.


End file.
